Kevin McCullough

First and foremost I would like to thank all of you for your tremendous support throughout our regular season! That being said we are going to need you now more than ever as we head in to our first round of the 2011 playoffs at the Snakepit! We have the greatest fans in the AFL and I look forward to seeing all of you out there on Friday when we take on the Spokane Shock!

As I stated earlier, we are about to embark on our 2011 ArenaBowl XXIV championship run! It has been quite a journey to this point, and personally, I have encountered many firsts, some positive and also some negative. Last week, in our regular season finale at Dallas, I saw my first action in nearly five weeks, after coming back from a knee injury. This was completely unfamiliar water for me because until this year I had never missed a game due to injury dating back through high school! After all the rehab and training, I hit the field in Dallas and I felt back at home doing what I love! After getting through the first few collisions and plays I once again felt comfortable and now know I am back playing at the level I am capable of!

This week’s game against the Spokane Shock will mark the third time we have played them his year and the sixth meeting in two seasons! In games like these, when you have two teams that know each other so well, the “little things” mean more than ever! This has been an intense week of preparation, getting both our minds and bodies ready for playoff football! I know that the coaches have us prepared to win and it will be on us as players to go out and get it done!

I have been asked many times this season about the camaraderie of this team and what makes it so special. I can honestly say that this is the closest team I have been on in professional sports. From day one, whether it has been going to dinner, going bowling, to the movies, or simply having a barbeque, we have done things as a team. This has been vital to building relationships with each other and ultimately creating a brotherhood. That is exactly what has been built here in Arizona, a brotherhood, and teams like what we have here are the kind you need to win a championship! Week in and week out, we have had numerous players step up and fill in for injured players or players that have moved on to other leagues and we haven’t missed a beat. One of the reasons for this is, without a doubt, our GM/HEAD COACH KEVIN GUY. He and the rest of the staff have done a great job all season making sure we are equally prepared top to bottom. Our coaches have also played a role in helping to create the relationships we have on this team, from organizing team events to simply making it fun to come to work! We are fortunate to have a coaching staff that allows us the freedom to have fun and be ourselves but believe me, when it’s time to work, it is time to work! Coming in to our playoff, run we feel stronger than ever and closer than ever – we are ready to take what is ours!

Again, I would like to thank all of our fans for the great support and I can’t wait to see you on Friday! Without you, this would not be possible!